Simple Living
at the Hacienda

Simple living at
the Hacienda
By Lester Gopela Hallig
Philippine Star
Friday, July 18, 2008

Don’t we all aspire for simpler living. At least for
us who live, breathe, and eat urban living, finding a place
— any place — with verdant greens and rolling
hills is heaven on earth. Throw in good old Filipino culture
and creature comforts into the mix and we are ready to pack
our bags and relocate.

Of course, wishful thinking can only go this far. So when
we accepted an invitation to visit Hacienda Escudero in Tiaong,
Quezon, we were able to find out that “simpler living”
is closer to what some call “hacienda living.”
Well, at least that is the concept behind Hacienda Escudero,
a partnership between Landco Pacific Corp. and the Escudero
family of Quezon province.
Hacienda Escudero takes after its more popular namesake, Villa
Escudero. While Villa Escudero has established itself as a
tourist destination that showcases Philippine history and
culture, Hacienda Escudero is aiming to become a Filipino-inspired
residential-commercial development.

The clan’s Ado Escudero shares, “We are thankful
that Landco accepted our family’s invitation of turning
this land into a totally Filipino development. It is sad that
most of the developments here are anything but Filipino. You
will hear everything is European, except Filipino. At the
Hacienda, we will return to our roots and celebrate our traditions.”

He promises that this will begin with the houses. Mind you,
only houses designed according to the aesthetics of Commonwealth-era
houses will rise within Hacienda Escudero.

“We will bring back those houses that defined the era,
from 1940 down to the 1900s. All the old houses that are best
suited for our climate will be seen here. There will be azoteas,
wide open layouts, and raised floors,” he adds.

“The Commonwealth era was the grandest period of the
Philippines,” chimes in Landco senior vice president
for leisure and resort communities Pat Villano. “We
want Hacienda Escudero to remind us of our glorious past.
Hopefully, this will encourage more tourism in this area.
We are the only development pursuing a totally Filipino identity.”

Even the buildings within the development will evoke the same
theme, says Landco head for non-seaside development Joby Xerez
Burgos. “While we are still a work in progress, we are
making sure that this place will be homey and warm, typically
Filipino. At the same time, we are going to make Hacienda
Escudero the last word in relaxation and recreation.”

Included in the lineup are an 18-hole golf course designed
by golfing hero Frankie Miñoza, basketball and tennis
courts, a free-form pool, and a clubhouse. Hacienda Escudero
will also have its very own spa village.

“We are building our very own wakeboard park in the
premises for those into extreme sports. These offerings are
meant to encourage more activity within the community,”
says Villano.

He reveals that the community will also feature hotels, restaurants,
shops, a convention hall, parks, and campus, retirement, and
medical facilities.

A unique feature in the Hacienda is the Agritainment Center,
which will offer fresh produce as well as an aviary, butterfly
farm, botanical garden, and demo farms. Fishing areas will
also be a common attraction around the Hacienda, as the area
is dotted by lakes.

Before anybody thinks that these amenities will destroy the
natural beauty of the surroundings, Hacienda Escudero ensures
that this will remain intact. “The Escudero estate has
always been protective of its natural habitats,” declares
Don Escudero. “For decades, the hacienda has built an
ecosystem related to its famed coconut plantation, which is
a much more dynamic and friendlier environment.”

“The development is not a slash-and-burn thing,”
Villano says. “The plantation is the setting and brings
character. The whole idea is to preserve them to create a
backdrop. Any type of habitation by humans as we all know
will create some disruption. Residential land use for recreation
and tourism is not necessarily a destructive use. As long
as we can maintain a good number of trees and low traffic
of buses, as long as the vegetation is preserved, the animals
will be there because it is their habitat. That is what Hacienda
Escudero is aiming for.”

Truth to tell, Don relates that they recently invited the
Wild Bird Club of the Philippines to stay at the property
overnight and identify the birds living there. Lo and behold,
the club recorded 65 species within 24 hours. Escudero family
members and resort employees have since added 13 more to the
list.

“What surprised the club members was that the more highly
frequented by people the area is, the more birds there are.
The farther they got, the lesser birds they saw. I think it
is because the birds feel very safe. In this estate, the rule
is to never touch the birds,” Don informs us.
The estate itself is bounded by Mt. Banahaw, Mt. Cristobal,
and Mt. Malarayat. It is home to Bulakin and Labasin rivers,
as well as to various fruit-bearing trees. With these attractions,
residents and tourists of Hacienda Escudero will definitely
have a full schedule of down-home, back-to-basics enjoyment
waiting for them. Now that’s the life.